Natural Birth Stories with Nicolette Gawthrop

Today’s guest is Nicolette Gawthrop who has two home birth stories to tell with another baby on the way! This episode was so fun for me to record because Nico and I had the same midwife. We ended up talking so much that I’m only sharing her first home birth story in this episode and will be back to share the rest of her story later in the year.

Prenatal Care for Home Births

I especially love this episode because Nico shares all of the specifics of prenatal care with a midwife when you are planning for a home birth. I know that many people often view homebirths as this rogue decision that’s entirely off the grid but in reality the prenatal and maternity care that you receive for a home birth is pretty similar to the care you receive with an OBGYN except you don’t have to wait as long in the waiting room and you get a full hour with your care provider to go over all of your concerns, both physical and mental.

Nicolette Gawthrop is a 33 year old restaurant lifer having waitressed through high school and college and is now married to a chef/restauranteur. Together, they co-own two farm-to-fork restaurants, where Nico claims to have a ‘seat on the board’ as for the most part, she is a homemaker and is rarely involved in operation anymore.

In college, Nicolette majored in biology, but ultimately dropped out to pursue a certificate in licensed massage therapy. She has long been interested in medical science, but that interest transitioned to natural medicine, herbs, and healing modalities upon becoming a Massage Therapist; which in turn led to an intense fascination with the process of birth and breastfeeding upon becoming pregnant and then a mother.

Nicolette lives in the Ozark hills with her husband, Jerrmy. They have two boys, Loukas (6) and Jasper (3) both born at home with a licensed midwife. They are currently expecting their third child, a girl, in the Spring and and are planning another home birth. She writes a personal blog and shares her adventures in mothering through lifestyle photography and wordy prose on her blog and Instagram using the handle, Ozark Mama Deer.

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1 Comment

I’ve been meaning to listen to the Birth Hour for a while, and this was the first episode I listened to. I really loved hearing Nicolette’s story — very informative and emotional, and I definitely giggled along a couple of times. Her mantra of "I can’t do this tomorrow, I have to do this today" really connected with me and I plan to remember that for my own first birth in August. Thank you, Nicolette! Congratulations!